Perforating-machine



UNITED STATES FATEN'I QFFIQE.

WALTER H. LYMAN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGN OR TO THE AMERICAN PERFO- RATOR COMPANY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

PERFORATING-MACI-IIN E.

Application filed .Tuly 10,

To all whom imag concern.' u

Be it 'known that I, WALTER I-I. LYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the Vcounty of Cool; and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Perforating-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference ,being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in perforating machines of the typeused for perforating numbers, letters, words or other data through one or more sheets of paper, cloth or 'other material. Such machines include one or more groups of small punches, some of which punches in each group are depressed, when the machine is operated, to perforate the desired character. The operating head of the machine carries a matrix ring or wheel for each group of punches in which it is desired to change the character perforated by it. This matrix wheel is formed with a series of groups of holes so placed that when any one of these groups is brought in register with the group of punches and the head is depressed, the ends of such punches as are not required for the particular character to be formed will be received by the holes, while the other punches of the group will be engaged by the solid part of the wheel and forced through the material which is to be perforated.

The principal object ofthe present invention is to improve the means by which the matrix wheels are revolved to change th-e characters formed, the means for retaining the wheels in position against turning, and the means for indicating to the operator what series of characters will be formed with a particular setting of the wheels. Among the advantages accruing from these improvements are the facility with which the setting may be changed and the ease with which the operator may see what information the machine is set to perforate in the material. Another advantage secured by the present invention is the fact that the series of groups of character-determining holes in a matrix wheel can be arranged on a smaller portion of `the circumference of the wheel than heretofore, as lthese groups are placed by themselves on one part of the wheel, .the locking and indicating means be:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

1918. serial No. 244,162.

ing removed to another part of the same. This feature simplifies the construction and renders the operation of setting the wheels very simple and direct.

In such machines, as vhave heretofore been constructed,leach of the matrix wheels has been held against rotation by a removable index pin adapted to be inserted into an opening in the wheel and to extend therethrough into a recess in the mandrel on which the wheelsare mounted. Each of the pin-receiving holes was marked with the number or other character or word which would be formed in the material when the pin was in this particular hole. To shift the Wheel to a new position this pin had to be removed, and after the wheel had been turned to the new position it was re-inserted into another hole to lock the wheel against turning. Each of the holes for the pin was marked with the indicia which would be ormed with the wheel locked by having the pin in this particular hole.

According to the present invention each wheel is provided with a projecting lever which is permanently attached to the wheel. By means of this lever the wheel is revolved to bring into register with the group of punches the part of the wheel which is adapted to depress the proper punches for perforating the desired character. Means are provided for retaining the wheel in any one of the series of perforating positions without the necessity of locking it manually, as by the insertion of a pin or equivalent operation.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as applied to the head of a power-operated perforator, but have shown only so much of the machine as is needed to make clear the relation of the head to the rest of the machine.

In these drawings- Figure I is a front elevational view of the operating head;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the section passing through one of the matrix wheels on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a series of numerals and the punches which may be used for forming these numerals in case 1t 1s desiredy to compress the punch-operating parts of the matrix wheel into a, small space pn the periphery of the Wheel,

The head is carried by the reciprocating plunger 10 which works in the guides 11 and 12 supported by the standards 13 and 14. These standards extend up from the base of the machine and support a power wheel (not shown) which is carried by the main shaft, suitable clutch mechanism, which is not seen in the views of the drawings, being provided between the power wheel and the shaft in order that the ma chine may be made to operate at will. The shaft is provided with an offset end or crank 15 by means of which the plunger is reciprocated in its guides 11 and 12 when power is applied to the machine. A pair of side plates 16 and 17 are supported by the plunger, and between these side plates extends the mandred 18 which carries the matrix wheels. I prefer to make the mandrel hollow and of large diameter, leaving the matrix wheels merely rings.

Each of the matrix wheels or rings is formed with a series of groups of openings. In the particular machine illustrated each ring has eleven of these groups, any one of which may be made to register with the group of punches 20. These punches are arranged in the punch case 21 and, when depressed, pass through the material which is placed in the opening or throat between the punch case 21 and the die 22. An apron or shield 23 is carried by the head, being secured to the side plates 16 and 17, and covers the space between the punch case and the head. This shield works up and down over the punch case as the machine operates, and has an extension 24: on its front portion which covers a part of each matrix wheel.

When the head is moved down or toward the punches some or all of the latter pass into the openings of the particular group which at that time registers with the group ot punches. On of these groups of holes may comprise as many holes as there are punches, so arranged that every punch has a registering opening, thus permitting the Y complete group 0f punches to be received by the wheel and consequently a blank space to be left in the material which is placed under the punches. In a group of holes which correspond to any character the holes are such in number and arrangement that those punches which are not needed for the` formation of this character may pass into these holes and thus are prevented from being depressed when the head is moved downward. When the matrix wheels consist merely of rings the mandrel 18 is Jformed with a recess 25 which receives the upper ends of the punches when they have passed through the rings; otherwise the wheels will be formed with holes suiciently deep for the purpose.

Each matrix wheel is provided with means for moving it about its axis and for limiting this movement. I provide a lever or handle 26 for each wheel, these levers being `permanently secured to the wheels. A suitable stop for limiting, the `movement in one direction is provided by securing a bar 27 te the side plates 16 and 17 so that it extends across the matrix wheels in the path of each lever 26. The wheel islimited 1n its movement in the opposite direction by the extension 24 on the guard 23, with the edge of which the lever 26 engageswhen the matrix wheel is turned to the limit of its movement in this direction.

By grasping the lever 26 and turning the wheel any desired group of holes mayl be brought into register with the punches, and the particular group of holes which at any time is in register is indicated to the operator by av character placed on the wheel at such a distance from this group of holes that it will appear just above the bar 27, or as seen in Fig. 2, at the point designated 28.

To maintain the matrix wheel in position after it has been set to perforate the desired character, I provide a form of lock which permits the wheel to be moved without the necessity of first disengaging any retaining means, it being only necessary to grasp the lever 26 and exert a push or pull in the direction in which it is-desired to move the wheel. This impositive locking means per-V mits a new setting of a wheel or the series of wheels in less time than is possible with the construction in which a pin has to be withdrawn and re-inserted after the shift has been made. A form oi such impositive lock which I have found to be satisfactory comprises a small steel ball 29, such'as are used for ball bearings, with a spring 30 to exert constant pressure upon it. This ball and the spring are arranged in a recess in a bar 31 which extends across the head just above the wheels, there being as many of these recesses and contained balls and spring as there are wheels. Each wheel is formed with a series of notches 32 spaced oli on the wheel at distances equal to the distances between the groups of openings in the wheel. These notches are so located on the wheel that when a group of openings exactly registers with the punches the ball will rest in one of the notches and maintain the wheel in this position. In the machine illustrated there are in each wheel eleven groups of holes for receiving the punches, and thirteen locking` notches, there being, of course, thirteen possible positions for each of the wheels and wheel-shifting levers 26 and thirteen marked spaces on the wheel. This series of thirteen characters comprises the numerals 1 to 9, inclusive, and O, and also the letter B, which is an abbreviation for blank With the wheel in such a position as to display B at the reading position, indicated at 28 in Fig. 2, no character will be perforated by that wheel, as all of the 4group of punches will register withcorresponding holes in the wheel.

It will be noted that in a perforating machine head Vconstructed in accordance with my invention the groups of punch-receiving openings are arranged in a series on a part of the matrix wheel which is remote from the corresponding series of in-` dicia; that is, there is no voverlapping of the series of openings by the series of indicia, as in other constructions. It is for this` reason possible to arrange the groups of openings closer together-on the wheel than with the'earlier machines. These groups o1 openings may even. be allowedfto overlap, in some Ycases. as in a `matrix wheel adapted-to form `the series of characters Vshown in Fig. 3. These characters iare of the "style known Vas 4x6 numerals, the holes being containec within a rectangle-which `is six holes high Vand four holes-wide. It will be seen that the bottom of the numeral 2 and the top of the numeral 3 require the same number of holes, arranged in the same relation. This is true also 'of,5 and 6, 8 and 9, and 9 and 0, This permits the part of the matrix wheel which depresses the punches to formV the upper part of one character to be used to depress those which form the lower part of another character. Space is thus saved `on'the matrix wheel, permitting a smaller Wheel to be used.

It is to be observed also that each character is marked on the -Wheel just below the locking notch which corresponds to this character. V Thus, when observing at the reading point 28 what character will be punched, it maybe readily seen at the same time whether or not theyl wheel is properly locked by the ball 29 being seated in the notch.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a particular form of perforating machine, in which a reciprocating plunger carries an operating head, it is to be understood that the invention "may be used in other types of perforating machines to which it is adapted, and it is also to be understood that changes and improvements may be made within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A perforating machine comprising spaced guides, a ram reciprocable in said guides, spaced arms extending from said ram, a journal extending between said spaced arms, a group of punches, and a plurality of punch-controlling rings rotatably mounted on said journal, each of said rings having a series of groups of punch-receiving openings, located so as to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with the group of punches, said journal having an opening therein to receive those punches in register with the openings in the groups, the openings of one group being `located adjacentthe openings of another group in the same ring, the radial thickness of said ring being small compared with the diameter of the ring, whereby the openings of adjacent groups are not materially farther apart on the outside of the ring than they are on the inside of the ring, whereby compactness is secured, whereby the groups of openings may be placed on less than half the circumference of the ring, whereby less than half a revolution of the ring is required in the operation of the machine.

2. A perforating machine spaced guides, a ram reciprocable in said guides, spaced arms extending from said ram, a journal extending between said spaced arms, a group of punches, a plurality of punch-controlling rings rotatably mounted on 'said journal, each of said rings having a Vseries of groups of punch-receiving openings, located so as to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with the .group of punches, said journal having an opening therein to receive those punches in register with the openings in the groups, the openings of one group being located adjacent the openings of another group in said ring, the radial thickness of said ring being small compared with the diameter of the ring, whereby the openings of adjacent groups are not materially farther apart on the outside of the ring than they are on the inside of the ring, whereby compactness is secured, whereby the groups of openings may be placed on less than half the circumference of the ring, whereby less than half a revolution of the ring is required in the operation of the machine, and yieldable means for positioning said rings and holding them in the desired adjusted position.

3. A perforating machine comprising a reciprocable head, spaced arms carried thereby, a journal extending between said arms, a plurality of rings rotatably mounted on said journal, each ring having a series of groups of punch-receiving' openings, positioned to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with a group of punches, a group of punches, said group of punches and said head being on opposite sides of said journal, and a plurality of handles, one secured to each ring, and operable between said reciprocable head and said set of punches, said series of groups of punclireceiving openings occupying less than half the circumference of the rotatable rings, whereby the movement of the handle between the reciprocable head and the group of punches will be sufficient to bring any desired one of the groups of punch-receiving openings into register with the group of punches.

4. A perforating machine comprising a reciprocable head, spaced arms carried thereby, a journal extending between said arms, a

comprising plurality of rings rotatably mounted on said journal, each ring having a series of groups of punch-receiving openings, positioned to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with a group of punches, a group of punches, said group of punches and said head being on said journal, aplurality of handles, one secured `to each ring, and operable between said reciprocable head and said set of punches, said series of groups of punchreceiving openings occupying less than half the circumference of the rotatable rings, whereby the movement of the handle between the reciprocable head and the group of punches will be sufficient to bring any desired one of the groups of punch-receiving openings into register with the group of punches, and yielding means for positioning said rings, to hold them in any desired position.

5. A perforating machine comprising a reciprocable head, a journal supported thereby, a group of punches, and a plurality of punch-controlling rings rotatably mounted on said journal, each of said rings having a series of groups of punch-receiving openings therein, positioned to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with the group of punches, each group of openings controlling the punches to cause the production of a distinctive character, the groups of openings being so close together that the same part of the ring between two adjacent groups will engage certain of the punches to depress them no matter which of the two groups of openings is in controlling position.

6. A perforating machine comprising a reciprocable ram, spaced arms mounted on Said ram to reciprocate therewith, a journal mounted on and extending between said spaced arms, a group of punches, and a plurality of punch-controlling rings, rotatably mounted on said journal, each of said rings having a series of groups of punchreceiving openings, located so as to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with the groups of punches, said journal having an opening therein to receive those punches in register with the openings in the groups` the openings, in one group being located adjacent the openings of another group in the saine ring, the radial thickness of said ring being small compared with the diameter of the ring, whereby the openings of adjacent groups are not materiallyv farther on the outside of the 1ing than they are on the inside of the ring, whereby compactness is secured, whereby opposite sides of the group of openings may be placedon materially less than the full circumference of the ring, whereby materially less than a full revolution of the ring is required in the operation of the machine. j

7. A perforating machine comprising a reciprocable ram, spaced arms'mounted on said ram to reciprocate therewith, a journal mounted on and extending between said spaced arms, a group of punches, and a plurality of punch-controlling rings rotatably mounted on said journal, each of said rings having a series of groups of punchreceiving openings, located so as to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with the groups of punches, said journal having an opening therein to receive those punches in register with the openings in the groups, the openings in one group being located 4adpacent the openings ofl another group in the same ring, Ythe radial thickness of said ring being small compared with the diameter of the ring, whereby the openings of adjacent groups are not materially farther on the outside ofthe ring than they are on the inside of the ring, whereby compactness is secured, whereby the group of openings may be placed on materially less than the full circumference of the ring, whereby materially less than a full revolution of the ring is required in the operation of the machine, and yieldable means for positioning said rings and holding them in desired position.

8. A perforating machine comprising a reciprocable head, spaced arms carried thereby, a journal extending between said arms, a plurality of rings rotatably mounted on said journal, each ring having a series of groups of punch-receiving openings, positioned to be turned to bring a desired group of openings into register with a group of punches, said group of punches being on a different side of said journal from the side on which said head is located, and a plurality of handles, one secured to each ring` and operable between said reciprocable head and said set of punches, said series of groups of punch-receiving openings occupying materially less than the full circumference of the rotatable rings, whereby the movement of the handle between the reciprocable head and the group of punches will be suiiicient to bring any desired one of the groups of punch-receiving openings into register with the group of punches. 4,

In witness whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name.

WALTER. H. LYMAN. 

